Royal Family

Prince Harry's paternity leave is already over, and he's back on the job ... as a model.

While Master Archie's back at the palace filling diapers, his pops is all smiles in the Netherlands ... happily showing off some baby gifts he'll be bringing home. Harry's back on the road -- just 4 days after Meghan Markle birthed their first child -- to promote his Invictus Games, which will be held in the Netherlands next year.

Harry's Invictus coworkers hooked him up with a onesie for Archie, and they also gave the Prince his own Invictus windbreaker ... complete with highlighted letters spelling out, "I Am Daddy." Just in case he forgets.

No doubt, Master Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor will be lauded with tons of gifts in the coming days. Yeah, he's only 7th in line to the throne -- right behind his dad -- but he's Harry and Meghan's first, and the first American/British royal.

Invictus is an athletic competition for injured soldiers from around the globe which the Duke of Sussex created back in 2014.

Looks like Harry's already settling into juggling work and fatherhood.

9:05 AM PT -- If you're the betting type, and the type who loves a long shot ... you might have just cashed in big time. Ladbrokes, an online betting site, had Archie odds set at 100/1. Congrats if you just came up.

And the Palace wants to make it clear ... his name is Archie, NOT Archibald.

BTW ... the middle name of Harrison is quite fitting. The root of the name is Henry's son, and Henry is Harry's actual birth name. So, there ya go.

8:42 AM PT -- Welp, it's official. Baby Sussex is now Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.

What a mouthful.

All of Queen Elizabeth's descendants take the family name Mountbatten-Windsor -- which is a combination of the Queen's official last name, and Prince Phillips' surname.

The long wait to see the royal baby is over ... but the wait to learn his name continues.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry made an appearance outside of Windsor Palace with their newborn son and the royal couple was all smiles as they introduced their baby to the world.

When asked how the baby has been, Meghan told reporters, "He has the sweetest temperament. He's really calm."

"I wonder who he gets that from," Prince Harry responded with a smile as he cradled "Baby Sussex" in his arms. Meghan called them her "two best guys in the world."

The couple plans to bring the baby to meet the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh this afternoon.

In the days leading up to the big reveal, oddsmakers in the UK were taking bets on what names the couple might choose ... with Spencer a strong favorite. Spencer was the maiden name of Princess Diana, Harry's mother.

Other names heavily favored included the more traditional Alexander, James, Arthur and Philip.

Oddsmakers were uncertain if the couple would go with a traditional name ... or buck tradition and go their own way as they have in other ways. For now ... everyone waits. As we reported ... Meghan gave birth at 5:26 AM Monday, London time to a healthy baby boy weighing in at 7 lbs. 3 oz.

Harry announced the happy news, telling the media he was thrilled and in awe over what women go through during childbirth. He said they were still thinking about the name even though they had some extra time, and also ... he couldn't stop smiling.

Kensington Palace revealed in October 2018 that Harry and Megs were expecting ... just about 5 months after their star-studded wedding ceremony.

The couple's kiddo is 7th in line to the throne, right behind his father.

10:53 AM PT -- Michelle Obama is chiming in on the good news too. The former First Lady tweeted her excitement to the new parents, saying she can't wait to meet the new royal bundle.

6:45 AM PT -- Meghan has given birth to a royal baby boy ... 7 lbs., 3 ozs. The palace says the new prince arrived at 5:26 AM Monday, London time.

No name for the little guy, yet. Harry says they're "still thinking about it" ... even though the baby arrived a little late.

Pass the royal baby powder! Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are officially in the home stretch ... she's in labor with their first child.

Buckingham Palace announced Monday the Duchess of Sussex had gone into labor.

Kensington Palace announced in October 2018 Harry and Megs were pregnant. They moved quickly ... the pregnancy news came about 5 months after their star-studded wedding ceremony.

Meghan continued her royal duties as the couple went on tour, but ultimately had to cut back ... especially on-air travel.

When it came to her baby shower ... that was quite a spectacle too. Tons of celeb friends came out in force to shower her with love ... from Amal Clooney to Abigail Spencer.

Because we know you're wondering ... the kiddo will be 7th in line to the throne, right behind Papa Harry, the Duke of Sussex. The new Prince will also bump Prince Andrew -- the second son of Queen Elizabeth -- down a notch.

Story developing ...

Meghan Markle's father won't be around to spoil the joy of her firstborn ... because he's still iced out of the Royal Family.

Sources close to Thomas Markle tell TMZ ... he's not traveling to London -- or making any plans to do so -- despite the fact his daughter is due to give birth to her and Prince Harry's child any day now. Meghan's mom, Doria Ragland, arrived this weekend.

We're told, unlike last year -- when health issues kept Thomas from attending the Royal Wedding and giving Meghan away -- the reason he's not visiting his daughter and meeting his new grandchild is because he's squarely persona non grata.

Our sources say Thomas has been unable to make inroads reconciling with Meghan because he believes she's in a "cone of silence" ... but he hopes their relationship can be repaired after she has a baby.

As you'll recall ... Thomas seemed to get shunned by the Royals shortly after the wedding for going to the media, a move perceived by many as self-serving. There's been a lot of speculation about the father-daughter relationship since then, but it's clear they haven't been on speaking terms since August.

Regardless, we're told Thomas, of course, wishes Meghan and Harry the best and hopes for a safe delivery of a healthy baby ... and he's glad Doria's made the trip to be by her side.

Prince Harry is joining Oprah in Hollywood ... and it means Apple TV might have the heaviest hitters in town when it comes to executive producers.

The Big O and the Duke of Sussex are joining forces as EPs on a new series that will focus on mental health -- it's slated to debut next year on Apple TV. Harry and Meghan Markle made the announcement Wednesday morning on their official Instagram account.

Oprah and Harry have been working for months now on the multi-part docuseries, which they hope will inspire viewers to have more open, honest conversations about mental wellness.

Harry, of course, has been open about his mental health in the past. Back in 2017, he disclosed he'd been in counseling in his late 20s to deal with emotions surrounding the death of his mother, Princess Diana.

Oprah herself has talked about her experience with anxiety and depression. As she wrote in O Magazine ... she'd "come face-to-face with mental illness, as several people close to me were hospitalized with severe suicidal depression and manic and schizophrenic thoughts."

Amber Rose is having a rough early pregnancy ... because she has the same sickness Kate Middleton had to endure.

Sources close to Amber tell TMZ ... she's 13 weeks pregnant and is suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum ... a severe type of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. We're told Amber was hospitalized at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for a few days, getting IV treatments because she was sick and losing weight.

It's not all bad though ... we're told Amber and her boyfriend, Alexander "AE" Edwards, are thrilled about having their first child together. We're told the pregnancy wasn't planned, but they weren't taking precautions because they're deeply in love.

The baby boy is due in October, close to Amber's birthday ... and we're told she's excited to share the same sign -- Libra.

Amber publicly announced her pregnancy Thursday, and we're told she had a gender reveal party at her house a couple of weeks ago ... but it was purely a family affair.

Kate battled the condition through all 3 of her pregnancies ... and now Amber's had it for both of hers.

Prince Harry's officially in dad territory -- using his royal platform to blast Fortnite, calling it addictive and damaging to kids, and he's getting destroyed for it.

Harry took on, arguably, the world's most popular video game while visiting a YMCA Wednesday, saying ... "A game like Fortnite, for instance, may not be so good for children. Parents have got their hands up, they don’t know what to do about it. It’s like waiting for the damage to be done and kids turning up on your doorsteps and families being broken.”

He added, "That game shouldn't be allowed."

Twitter's response to Harry? Pretty simple ... Off with his head!!

Several users pointed out Harry's out of touch and doesn't realize many people play video games as escapism because, "Not everyone has the means to go wherever, whenever they want."

Others advise him to stick to killing animals on his royal hunts ... or maybe just try to get better at Fortnite.

As Twitter tees off on him ... it's worth noting Harry also ripped social media for being "more addictive than drugs and alcohol." He even said it's worse because there are no restrictions on it. He's been beating this drum about video games and social media since last year, actually.

Harry might still be weeks away from the joys of fatherhood -- Meghan Markle's reportedly due sometime this spring -- but he's already pissed off millions of kids who worship Fortnite.

Guess, Drake and Ninja won't be doing tea with Harry and Meghan anytime soon.

Prince Charles is getting in on the spring break action ... splashing around on a Caribbean beach with his bae.

The Prince and Camilla are busting out their swimwear for some fun on the island of Barbados. Gotta give props to the 70-year-old for rocking some seriously trendy floral trunks. Go ahead ... soak it in. We don't get to see Chuck in board shorts that often.

The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall are on a 12-day tour of the Caribbean. After getting some Royal business out of the way, Charles and Camilla hit the sand Monday -- armed with a ton of sunscreen, we hope.

Meghan Markle's half-brother got a sweet deal in his DUI case ... but he'll have to keep his nose clean for the next year.

Thomas Markle Jr. entered a DUI diversion program last month stemming from his January arrest in Oregon for driving under the influence of alcohol. We broke the story ... cops said Thomas bombed a field sobriety test and blew a .11.

The court's allowing the 52-year-old to enter a 1-year diversion program, but it comes with strings attached.

First, Markle Jr. must attend a victim impact panel this month. He also has to get an ignition interlock device installed in his vehicle ... and he's gotta fork over more than $700 in fees.

Thomas must be booked and fingerprinted by the end of the month.

Queen Elizabeth's first ever post on Instagram is blowing up which is totally impressive ... considering it's just a boring old, OLD letter.

QE2 didn't even remember to add #latergram or #throwbackthursday when she hit the share button. Naturally, there was plenty of royal fanfare for the moment ... they had an actual ceremony for it at London's Science Museum, and she got cheers and applause when a right proper English dude announced, "It's worked perfect."

As for what the Queen posted to The Royal Family's account ... it's an 1843 letter written by computer pioneer and mathematician Charles Babbage to Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert.

The Queen wrote in her caption ... "In the letter, Babbage told Queen Victoria and Prince Albert about his invention the 'Analytical Engine' upon which the first computer programmes were created by Ada Lovelace, a daughter of Lord Byron."

(*EYEROLL*) Can't wait to see her #MCM.

Meghan Markle took her fetus for a night on the town Tuesday -- hitting the famous Polo Bar restaurant for dinner with her pal Serena Williams ... and we've got the video.

Her Royal Highness had a busy day -- she flew into New York for her baby shower at The Mark Hotel earlier in the day ... where friends like Abigail Spencer and Jessica Mulroney helped celebrate the mom-to-be.

Afterward, it was off to Ralph Lauren's Polo Bar -- famous for its $20 "RRL Hot Dog" -- which comes with sauerkraut, sweet relish & mustard on a toasted brioche bun.

If she didn't have the dog, she missed out.

On the way out, 37-year-old Meghan strutted to her waiting SUV while clutching a fancy black Stella McCartney purse.

FYI, everything Meghan touches seems to sell out in minutes -- guessing royal fashion-aholics already snapped up the remaining stock.

Serena followed Meghan and got in the same SUV.

12:25 PM PT -- We just caught Meghan on her way back into The Mark Hotel after lunch at Cafe Boulud with friends. The day of celebration for the royal and her bump continues!

Meghan Markle's celebrating the upcoming birth of her first child with Prince Harry ... and she's doing it on U.S. soil, baby!! Take that, UK.

We just got a shot of Meghan outside The Mark Hotel Tuesday afternoon in NYC. She held her baby shower there and, as you'd expect, she was flanked by tons of security as she got into a waiting SUV.

As you can see ... Meghan's doing the expectant mommy thing, cradling her baby bump with every step. The Duchess of Sussex is about 7 months pregnant, and she and Harry have been hinting the baby is due in April.

Meghan's flying solo, sans Harry, for this trip. The baby shower could be the last time she sees her friends -- at least stateside -- before she gives birth.

Thomas Markle agrees with George Clooney -- the press is treating Meghan Markle like crap ... but he's pissed off at George's comments on his relationship with his daughter.

Sources close to Meghan's father tell TMZ ... he's upset the actor chimed in over the letter the Duchess of Sussex sent him -- which has now been posted by multiple media outlets.

ICYMI -- George said in a recent interview he found the broadcasting of Meghan's letter to her dad "frustrating" and "irresponsible." We're told Thomas took this as a dig ... and thinks Clooney should "do a little research before he talks about Meghan and her father."

To be fair, Clooney seemed to be slamming the outlets more than Meghan's dad. He said, "I can't tell you how frustrating that is, just seeing them broadcast a letter from a daughter to a father. She's getting a raw deal there, and I think it's irresponsible and I'm surprised by that."

True enough, he doesn't mention Thomas, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to read between the lines ... Thomas set the ball in motion by releasing it. It sure seems that's the way Thomas is reading it, and that's why he's ticked off at George.

Our sources say, Thomas believes he's getting a raw deal in the press ... and Meghan's friends are to blame.

Prince Philip won't be getting behind the wheel again any time soon ... because he's turned in his license following a scary crash last month.

A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace tells TMZ ... "After careful consideration, The Duke of Edinburgh has taken the decision to voluntarily surrender his driving licence."

Norfolk police have confirmed with us the Duke voluntarily turned in his license to officers Saturday, and tell us the investigation of the collision has been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service. We're told CPS will provide "advice on how to proceed."

As we reported ... Queen Elizabeth's 97-year-old husband was fortunate to survive after flipping his SUV in a 2-car crash in January. The woman in the other vehicle suffered a broken wrist.

Philip sent the woman an apology note for his role in the accident a little more than a week later, blaming it on the blinding sun that obstructed his view of the road and oncoming traffic.

Meghan Markle's dad is forcefully pushing back against claims he's refusing to reach out to his daughter ... TMZ has learned.

A close friend of Thomas Markle tells TMZ ... all the claims made by Meghan's friends about his relationship with his daughter are "bulls***" ... and Thomas can prove it.

In a recent People story, Meghan's friends claimed Thomas refused to call or text his daughter since she entered the British Royal Family ... but we're told Thomas says that's complete "nonsense."

We're told Meghan's dad texted a loving message on her wedding day, and they spoke over the phone the day before the royal wedding -- with Meghan expressing worry for her dad's health issues, and Prince Harry wishing him well.

However, our sources say things drastically changed after Meghan and Harry tied the knot ... because we're told the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stopped communicating with Thomas and went radio silent.

We're told Thomas tried reaching Meghan multiple times by text ... to no avail.

Bottom line ... Thomas hasn't heard from Meghan for months.

Prince Philip was being driven around town Saturday, and he finally buckled up ... and he also tried explaining away his car crash.

The Duke of Edinburgh was seen being driven through the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. The Duke had attended a post-shoot lunch with HRH The Queen and guests.

Philip also sent a letter to the woman who broke her wrist in the car accident earlier this month. Philip says in the letter he's sorry for the crash and blames it on blinding sun that obscured his view of the road.

Philip makes it clear he's traveled that road many times without incident. The subtext seems to be he's still capable of driving safely, even at 97.